7.31.09 | ATA Will Relocate One Office, Expand Its Virtual Office Model

SALT LAKE CITY – The Archery Trade Association (ATA) is in the process of relocating its business and membership office from its current location in Salt Lake City to New Ulm, Minn. Further notice will be provided on the official date of the Minnesota-based office opening.

The move came as new personnel was hired over recent years, all of whom were positioned to work from home offices around the country. Currently, only four employees work in the Salt Lake City office. Outside that office environment, the ATA has used a virtual private network to link five employees and several key contractors in South Carolina, Virginia, Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin and Utah. Of the four Salt Lake employees, ATA trade show manager Cindy Brophy split time between a home office and the main office. Once the office moves to Minnesota, she will begin working full time from her home office.

“Using email and shared drives as well as group access portals, there is a great capacity today to know what someone is doing and to monitor results and output,” ATA CEO/President Jay McAninch said. “Most importantly, cost for office expenses is a fraction of what it would be compared to a company of equal size whose entire staff is situated in a traditional office. Home offices create huge savings and it’s a great benefit to have staff based in various regions of the country because it eases the ATA’s ability to attend meetings and events wherever they occur.”

Still, the opening of the Minnesota-based office is crucial as the ATA relies on a single traditional office to provide membership services and act as a hub for business and financial matters. The office’s new location in Minnesota gives the ATA an office equally distanced from most staff, Board and ATA members who are based in every region of the country. Longtime ATA manager of operations Kelly Kelly will work from the membership and business office on a permanent basis, while ATA director of archery and bowhunting programs, Michelle Doerr, is within a 30 minute drive of the office and will provide backup support to administrative and business personnel.

New Ulm, Minn., is a town of 13,000 residents located an hour southwest of the Twin Cities and 90 miles from the Twin Cities airport. Nearby is the city of Mankato which, at 70,000 people, includes a major University of Minnesota campus, six smaller colleges and a wide array of manufacturing and production industries.

A new director of finance and operations will manage the Minnesota office. A search to fill that position is currently underway. Once that position is filled, a new business manager and membership manager will be hired as well. Unfortunately, the office move means the ATA will bid farewell to Keri Collett, Laura Shields and LaRayne Dawson. Each employee has provided invaluable service to the ATA during their time with the trade association.

If you have questions concerning the office relocation, please contact Amy Hatfield toll free at (866) 266-2776 or direct at (803) 685-3717. Hatfield can be reached by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .